Committee forwards $21,545 donation from Simon’s Foundation for recreation equipment to county board

The Richland County Finance Standing Committee voted March 13 to forward a resolution accepting a $21,545 donation from Simon’s Foundation to the county board for replacement fitness equipment at the recreation complex.

Mr. Hardy (staff member) told the committee the gift includes two replacement treadmills (a little over $10,000 total), two replacement recumbent steppers (a little over $10,000 total), one of which is wheelchair-accessible, and about $800 in hand weights. He said the donation represents roughly half of a $50,000 pledge the foundation planned to provide this year and that the donations were recommended for approval by the mandatory board.

Mr. Hardy said memberships at the recreation center have risen from about 1,700 in August to more than 2,300, with a notable increase in 12-month memberships and recurring autopay enrollments. Committee members linked those increases in part to visible investments such as refurbished signage and replaced equipment.

Supervisor Turk moved the resolution and Supervisor Cooley seconded. The committee approved forwarding the donation resolution to the full county board by voice vote; the transcript records voice approval but does not provide a roll-call tally.

A clerical correction to the resolution was noted (an item read as “2 20 recumbent steppers” should read “2 recumbent steppers”); staff confirmed the correction would be made before the county-board packet.